Di, host of Pensivity101, is once again standing in for Melanie, of Sparks from a Combustible Mind, for today’s Truthful Tuesday prompt. This week Di pointed out that the world watched the funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II yesterday and throughout the country’s state of mourning, there have been some protests and comments against the monarchy.
She added that she’s not asking her overseas readers how we feel about the British monarchy, but she wants to know…
How do you feel about your own country’s traditions and customs? Do you think they still hold a place in modern times?
Sadly, I don’t recognize my own country anymore. Not since 2016, when Donald Trump was, with the help of Russia and other dark, anti-democratic forces, elected — not by popular vote of the American citizens, but by the Electoral College — to the office of POTUS.
Now, with the radicalization of the Republican Party, American traditions like the peaceful transfer of power after an election, having the person who lost an election graciously concede to the winner, free speech, equal justice under the law, no person is above the law, acceptance of diversity, compassion, kindness, decency, religious freedom, and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have fallen by the wayside.
If Donald Trump (and his MAGA maniacs) had his way, he would establish an American monarchy and declare himself to be King Donald I, rename the White House to Trump Palace and Mar-a-Lago to The Winter Palace. He would disband Congress, get rid of the U.S. Constitution, and become an absolute, authoritarian ruler, modeled after Vladimir Putin or Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
So, in answer to Di’s question about my country’s traditions and customs and how I feel about them, I’d say that most of America’s traditions and customs that made me proud to be an American no longer exists, and that saddens me to an extent that is almost incomprehensible.
This, That, and the Other 
Voting is so important now, as we are on the verge of collapse.
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I am so sorry Fandango. I understand completely having watched in dismay what is happening in the US. The world has gone mad.
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Yes, it seems it has.
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Well said. It’s terrifying that he could get in again. Even if he doesn’t though, the SC is effed for decades to come & Republican governors are going on a spree of taking away rights. It all seems unstoppable 😢
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I never thought I’d live to see this happen in the U.S.
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Thats so sad! We should be able to be proud of our heritage and our cuntry!
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You expressed exactly how I feel. I am disheartened, dismayed, dejected, and terrified of where we’re headed.
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It’s frightening.
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In the UK, It feels familiar when we see traditions. Like our Queen’s funeral, watching that on television yesterday felt like it was respectable end to her life. She always thought of her duty above anything else.
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I guess you could say that you miss the traditions of your country as they seem to have gone AWOL. It’s so sad.
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Yes, it’s very sad.
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I like the tradition of an individual elected to govern a state only being the Governor of the state where said individual ran for and won office. I’m pretty partial, as well, to officials not expecting to get away with criminal behavior due to a sense of being beyond the reach of any law and unaccountable to a sense of human decency.
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Minus the “G” — g.
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I share your sentiments, your angst. The reality is that we are at a turning point in this nation and far too many do not understand what is at stake. Instead, they love the chaos, they thrive on it. They love the illusion of ‘strength’. And they will vote against their own best interests, against the future of this nation. I think that Trump, given half a chance, will model himself more after Adolf Hitler than either Putin or Xi. My fingers are tightly crossed that we can stop him from getting that chance, but we need people to wake up and smell the coffee before it’s too late.
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There’s the North Korean Kim Jong-un, too, who the Donald said he fell in love with. I’m sure you remember Trump saying he would like people to have to jump to his attention like they do for their Dear Leader with guns all around. Putin, meanwhile, is showing himself to be like Hitler. And there’s the Uyghur matter in China. Yet, there is the creepy rhyming of the children being taken away to wherever from the border when Donald Trump was President… now DeSantis transporting people around for the purpose of anandonment. He’s got followers ready to hate (or to be affirmed in their hate by a loud mouth).
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Oh yes … I remember being appalled by that, and by his defense of the likes of Putin, Orbán, Jong-un and other authoritarians, not to mention his love for Bolsonaro. I am also appalled to see that Abbott’s (I haven’t looked at DeSantis’) has increased since his inhumane stunt to sent migrants to D.C. People actually like him for that! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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People are stupid.
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Oh yeah … for sure.
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It may already be too late, Jill. I guess we’ll know for sure on November 8. If Congress turns red, that will be the last nail in the coffin of democracy in the U.S.
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Yes, I have the same feeling, but keep hoping I’m wrong. Sigh.
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❤ ❤ ❤ There's always hope! But you have to work at it! I used to be ashamed to be Australian, but now I am slowly proud again. But we did get rid our mini wannabe Trump, Scott Morrison.
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